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Who Is Girls With Guts? What Exactly Is It You Do?

Girls With Guts is a registered 501(c)(3) that has been around since 2013. We are a patient support and advocacy group that works to empower women through various online programming as well as two in-person events a year. In fact, all of our Board Members and Volunteers either have IBD and/or an ostomy or support a spouse/partner who has IBD.

I Don’t Have IBD. Am I Welcome Here?

You are welcome here if you have IBD and/or an ostomy for any reason. I.E. FAP, Cancer, Childhood Illness, Trauma, etc. We try to be as inclusive as possible and understand how having bowel disease or an ostomy as a woman can be difficult to manage. Let us support you!

You are also welcome here if you are here to obtain resources or to learn how to support a woman with IBD and/or ostomy. However, our programming and community is specifically for women with IBD and/or ostomy for any reason.

I Have IBD, But I’ve Never Had Surgery. It Seems Like You Focus A Lot On Surgery Here. Is This A Support Group I Can Be A Part Of?

Absolutely! We have women who participate in both our online and offline programs who have either just started their IBD journey or have had 15+ surgeries. Surgery can be one of the most challenging things to face for a woman with IBD, so we try to support and empower women who are going through those. We hope to be just as positive of a resource for any women who have also NOT had surgery.

I Have a Young Child With IBD or an Ostomy. Where Can I Go For Support?

If you are a mom or female caregiver, you are welcome to join our 18+ private Facebook Forum to ask any questions you have. Right now Girls With Guts only serves those who are 18+ within our other programing. Another great resource would be the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. They host an annual summer camp for kids and you can find more information about that here.

Can I Donate?

You absolutely can! You can donate here. We also accept donations in check form and those can be mailed to:

Girls With Guts

6024 Ridge Ave Ste. 116 #332

Philadelphia, PA 19128

Where Do Donations Go?

As a registered 501(c)(3) and an all volunteer run organization, all donations that we receive get funneled back into our programming, resources and running costs.

Donations go towards things like our Butt Basket and I Gotta Go Card + supplies and shipping costs, our New Attendee Retreats, and help to cover additional costs and scholarships for our larger Annual Retreat.

Can I Dedicate My Donation To A Specific GWG Program (Annual Retreat Scholarship, New Attendee Retreat, Butt Basket Program, Etc)? How Do I Do This?

If you would like your donation to be specifically applied to any of our programming, just add a note and we will make sure that it goes towards just that! Alternatively, you can email info@girlswithguts.org after sending in a donation to request where it is applied.

Can I be a Sponsor?

Yes! For more information on how to become a sponsor, you can check out our sponsorship packet here.

What Kinds Of Events Does Girls With Guts Do?

GWG holds two types of in-person retreats per year:

  • New Attendee Retreat
    The New Attendee Retreat introduces women who’ve never attended a GWG event before and focuses on creating relationships and to learn how to handle the emotional toll of IBD.
  • Annual Retreat
    The Annual Retreat is open to all members of GWG and focuses on team-building and seminars led by IBD experts. Come and meet a GWG in person!

In addition to in-person retreats, GWG holds online events such as Facebook lives with patients, round table discussions in the private forum, Netflix watch parties, and more! Follow our social media channels or check out our event page to learn more.

How Can I Get Involved?

There are a variety of ways you can get involved with us!

  1. Join our private Facebook Forum and be an active participant and support for another GWG sister in need.
  2. Fundraise for us! This can be done through a few different ways and can be found here.
  3. Be on the lookout for volunteer opportunities and apply!

I Am Looking For Other People In My Area To Connect With. How Can I Do This?

You can join our private Facebook Forum and put a call out for your area.

I Am Looking To Support A Friend Or Family Member While They Are In The Hospital. How Can I Do This?

If they are having IBD-related/or ostomy surgery, send them a Butt Basket! If you want to learn more about IBD, check out our IBD Academy Resource.

I Am Looking To For Ostomy Supplies In A Time Of Need Or I Have Leftover Supplies And Want To Donate Them. How Can I Do This?

Check out our POOP Program. We partner with two wonderful organizations who help with both of these scenarios!

I Am Looking For Doctor Suggestions In My Area. Where Can I Find Those?

Join our private Facebook Forum and put a call out for your area. We strongly believe in the power of connections! Our group has over 7,000+ members and is growing rapidly. Check it out if you’re looking for support, have questions or are just looking for some company!
The purpose of these groups is to provide support, encouragement and share knowledge with other Girls With Guts members. It is a positive environment and negativity directed at anyone in the groups will not be tolerated. In order to protect privacy of the participants, you must either be a patient with IBD and/or an ostomy.

I Identify As LGBTQA+ And Want To Know If Gwg Is A Safe Space For Me.

You are totally welcome here! We are a safe space for all.

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